Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Finally some Sassanids off the table, still not as much brushwork time as I would of liked but still satisfied with the result, the figures are from the very fine Sassanid A & A range, with a horse that is with the Surenas (Nobles) on the website, Steve sent me a few with my last order, thanks mate!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

These units are the real start to my multi-allied or enemy units for my Sassanids and Late Romans.

Most of us are aware of the Hun invasions of the west, but I, like possibly you, was unaware of the troubles the Sassanids faced against the Nomadic tribes in the East.

The Sassanids were constantly invaded by the Chionite, Ephthalite (Hephtalite) and Hunnoi tribes in the 4th, 5th and 6th centurys'. The Sassanids like the Romans decided to settle the invading Nomadic tribes on their borders. Mostly along the great Golestan wall, this wall starts on the Caspian coast, circles North to the city Gonbade Kavous, continues towards the Northwest and finises in the Pishkamar Mountains of Afghanistan ( around 155klms long) and on the opposite bank of the on Caspian from the Derband pass (Caspian Gates) to the mountains (50klm) . The Sassanids' like the Romans had trouble controlling these Foederatus allies, even a Sassanid King, Kavad was put on the throne in 488 by the Ephthalites, and he married a Ephthalite princess and had a Ephthalite bodygaurd whilst he was on the throne, and the Sassanid empire paid a heavy tribute for 43 years.

These figures are from the Essex Mongol range, I have cut off the stirrups and pointed their feet downwards, I found them a nice change from painting regular Roman troops.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Off the desk this week is a Hun General, the beginning of another allied army for my late Romans and Sassanids'. He is actually from the Essex Mongol range,I shaved off his stirrups and mounted him on a Essex horse.

I still have the one heavy, two medium and 3 light cavalry unit units to complete this little force, enjoying the change!
I may need to take a better photo I think as it was hammering rain outside, so this one was done inside.......

Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Legio III Herculia ("the 3rd Legion dedicated to Hercules") raised by Diocletian (284-305). The nickname of the Legion is from his co-emperor Maximian who called himselfHerculius, 'the man like Hercules'.The legion had originally been a limitanei unit and was responsible for the defense of the province Raetia.During the 4th Century, it was raised to comitatenses status.Tertia Herculea came under the command of Master Peditum and was part of the army of the Comes Illyrici, stationed with the Legio III Italica . It is mentioned in Julians' army for the Sassanid campaign. the Legions symbol is quite possibly Hercules.The figures are again Crusader Miniatures, the shields are again hand painted and were a pain in the A! Only four more units to go and I am finished my Romans!

A pseudocomitatensis Legio, raised by the Emperor Lucius Spetimius Severus for his campaign against the Sassanids in 197AD. After the campaign III Parthica was stationed in Mesopotamia on the Upper Chaboras (modern Khabur on the border of Turkey and Syria) around Rhesaena, controlling the road between Edessa and Nisibis. They fought in the campaigns of Serverus' son Caracalla and Macrinus (217 AD), Serverus Alexander and Gordian III (244) and Philip the Arab. they took part in Valerians disastrous campaign, but must of been reformed as they also campaigned with Odaenathus of Palmyra(261-267) and Diocletian (284-305), They also made up the field army of Justinian campaign in 530AD.

Coinage

Coins with the legendLE III P S(Legio III Partica Severiana)

Coins bearing the legendL III PIAmay prove that the unit had received the surnamePia, 'pious.

Coins, from Sidon, suggest that veterans of III Parthica were settled in that city.

A Gold Coin that was found in the Roman theater of Orange, minted by the Gallic Emperor Victorinus in 271, and mentioning LEG III PARTHICA. It is of course possible that a sub unit was in the West, but it is not very likely. The reverse of this coin also has a centaur that may of been the legions emblem

According to the Notitia Dignitatum (East, 35), written at the beginning of the fifth century, the third Parthian legion was at Apadna in Osrhoene along with its sister unit the IIII Parthica, near the confluence of the rivers Chaboras and Euphrates.

The unit is unarmoured figures from Crusader Miniatures and the shields are hand painted from a description of I and II parthica shields, therefore the cross pattern and colours are hypothetical.

About Me

I have a fascination with History so I read a lot, preferring it to TV, my interest in reading lead me to wargaming and re-enactment during my life.
My main periods of interest are Greek 5th cent, Roman republican, Imperial and late,Sassanid empire, Dark age Norman, early medieval England, late 17th and 18th centuries France and Napoleonic German states, also a little ww2.